First meeting and term of office

First meeting and term of office. -

1. (1) The first meeting of Gram Panchayat shall be held within 30 days from the date of publication under Section 19. Such meeting shall be called by the prescribed authority and the provisions of Section 44 shall mutatis mutandis apply to such meeting.
2. (2) The office bearers of Gram Panchayat shall hold office for a period of five years from the date of the first meeting and no longer: Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this sub-section, every person becoming an office bearer of Gram Panchayat -
   • (i) shall forthwith cease to be on the office bearer upon his ceasing to be a voter of the Gram Panchayat area; or
   • (ii) upon his becoming a member of the State Legislative Assembly or of either House of Parliament.
3. (3) If the Gram Panchayat is not reconstituted before the expiry of the period specified in sub-section (2), it shall stand dissolved on the expiry of the said period and the provisions of Section 87 shall apply to such Panchayat for a period not exceeding six months within which the Gram Panchayat shall be reconstituted in accordance with the provisions of this Act.